Sound recorder



Nov.. 27, N51 G. P. BRUBAKER 295575,25@

- SOUND RECORDER Filed Aug. 26, 1944 zsHEETs-SREETz um E NT@ R $60@ @jawn/fer @Y M ATTQRNEY Patented Nov. 27, V1,951

, by-,mesne assignments, to- Dictaphone Corpora-y 1 tion, .New York, lN. Y., a corporation `of New York Application August 26, 1944, Serial No. 551,304

This invention relates to sound recordersand particularly to recorders that utilize a stylus for marking a moving record blank.

Such recorders usually include a rotating turntable, or other moving support, upon which the record blank is supported. Under ordinary conditions of operation, recorders of this character are readily constructed to voperate in a Vhighly satisfactory manner. However, when subjected to mechanical disturbances, such as in a vehicle, a recorder of this character is virtually inoperative. This is due to vibrations and irregular motions to which the rotating table is subjected, and which produce extraneous and disturbing angular motion ofthe turntable. Suchdisturbances are especially pronounced when 4 recording is at-V tempted in an airplane in iiight; and, although it is especially important to obtain a record of occurrences in airplanes that are employedrin combat duty, the conditions of ilight of such planes render it even less possible to obtain a record capable of intelligent interpretation.

This is caused by the fact that the turntablev When the entirel has some weight or inertia. apparatus is subjected to erratic and abrupt movement, the inertia of such tables inevitably causes undesired relative angular movement between the table and the recording stylus. y

It is vone of the objects lof this invention to obviate such undesired relative movement even when extremely rapid or abrupt movement takes place, as may be the case in airplanes or the like.

It is another object of this'invention to provide a simple and elective stabilizer for apparatus subjected to sudden changes in direction and speed of movement. .1

This invention possesses manyy othervadvantages, and has other vobjectslwhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose thereis shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description isnot to be taken ina limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View, partly in vertical section, of a recorder incorporating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along plane 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

2 Claims. (Cl. 274-9) Fig. 4 is a diagram explaining the operation of the invention.

The phonograph in this instance is shown as having a turntable structure I that is rotatable about a vertical axis 2. This structure I includes an upper record supporting member 3 kupon which a record 4 is disposed. This supporting member 3 is driven by an axially displaced disclike member 5. The transmission of torque between Athese two members is veffected by an interposedsponge-rubber ring 6, between the members 3 and 5, and attached by an appropriate adhesive to these members.-

Theupper-supporting-member 3 is attached to a spindle l,vr by the aid of which the turntable structure may be appropriately guided for angular movement. I

vThe manner of supporting and driving the turntable structure is quite similar to'that described in an application led in the name of George P. Brubaker under Serial Number 492,538 on June 28, 1943, now Patent No. 2,463,513, issued March 8, 1949, and entitled Sound Recorder.

Thus spindle 'I is shown in this instance as supported in a bearing structure 8 attached to the upper frame-9, attached to the casing I0. A stylus recording head II is shown as cooperat- I ing with the record disc 4 and may`be appropriately supportedA and moved as, for example, in the prior filed application hereinabove referred to.

The turntable structure I is adapted to be driven at a substantially uniform angular rate by the aid of a friction roller I2. This roller may have a rim of material, suchas rubber, which can drive the member 5 by contact with the lower surface of the member 5. The roller I2 is shown asrnounted on a shaft I3 appropriately supported below the frame member 9. It is driven by a friction wheel I4 that, in turn, is in driving relation with a small electric motor I5. This electric motor I5 is shown as mounted on bracket II, thatr in turn is carried o-n a sponge-rubber pad I6 fastened to frame 9. Reduction gearing mounted in a cover I8 Vis shown as provided between theI motor I5 and the wheel I4.v

` The casing II), as shown most clearly in Figs. 1l

and 2, is supported on the spring supports 20 that, in turn, are supported on the angle irons 2|..

These angle irons 2| extend between the spacecl4 airplane interfere very greatly with the recording operation. This may be explained in connection with Fig. 4 where the turntable structure l is shown as mounted for rotation in a clockwise direction about the axis 2.

The turntable structure is not entirely restrained'zfrom relative, movementwith; respect. t0 the airplane, since the turntable canmove angularly about axis 2. And since the table has nertia, it cannot immediately follow such erratic` movements, and accordingly the angularmotion about axis 2 may be violently retardedor accelerated. Thus if the airplane-,motion hasta,

component having the samedirectionras.theLari.-r1 gular motion of table l, the* position of the'stylus. moves with respect to earth, from arrow 22 to arrow 23, but the inertia of the-table tends to.

keep that point of the table which was under the Accordingly, there; is1restylus, at arrow 4l. tardation or slowing of the turntable velocity.

On the otherv hand. if. thev violent movement is such that the entire recorderjis:rnoved` with respect to earth', ina counter-clockWiSedirection, the stylus assumes the position of arrow 40: with respect to the earth,A while the corresponding, turntable pointstillremains at arrow'AI. The result is an acceleration of the turntable velocity..

The mere addition of weight to the tablewould emphasize these eiects. By the aid vof. this invention, stored kinetic., energy of rotation ,is utilized tov changemin` angular rotation-of the turntable. structu re l about, the axis 2. Since: such angular kinetic energy ismeasured as.- the product-.of the square o-f angular velocityand, the moment of inertia, and sinceit is desired. to reduce inertia. effectsas muchas possible, the stored kinetic energy is obtained by rapidanguf lar'. motionof a relatively-rsrnall. mass.

For this-purpose, a. wheel 25 isused. This wheel,` although havinglittle weight, hasmost of that weight concentrated in its rim, inV order that the moment ofk inertia may be as greatY as,

possible for the weightutilized. The totalweig-ht.;

of. the wheel, when using thisinventionin connectionwith an ordinary type of..phonogr.aph r.ecorder, may be only of the order of. ve` or sixounces. Y

The wheel 25 is attached.to. ashaftr25'. Thee lower end of thisshaft isl cupped to accommodate. a ball support 21 mounted in a.bearing',geuren..` The bearing cup 28 isshown as threadeclly: supported inthe frame 9. u

The upper end of the shaft 2.5 is similarly cupped for engagement witha ball 29. This ball; is held in the end of anarm 30, against the upper end of the shaft 26V. Thev balls 21 and- 2E)r permitr some slight universal. movement of the. axis.of. shaft 26, while it is rotating. In.y this Way theshaft 25 may be urged toward the right, as viewed. in Fig. 3, to Contact the driving rim 3| mounted,V on the turntable member 5. This rim, 3-I mayY be.V made of rubber directlyV contacting the shaftAZl.k

In order to urge the shaft 26 resiliently into contact with the rim 3lan.arm32` (Figs. 1` and` 2) is joined to arm 30, forming; a bell crank. lever therewith. Theleverl is. mounted for angular Lmovement about. apost 3'3 (Fig..3`) fastened to a bracket 34. This bracket `34.` i'sshown. integral with a. corner piece 3`5thatis.supportedA above the frame 9. At the extremity of the arm 32, a tension spring 36 is provided (Fig. 2). This tension spring is anchored in a key slot 31 formed in a plate 38 that is mounted `on the member 35. The tension of the spring is such that the arm is urged in a counter-clockwise direction in order to urge; the shait'fzf'agai'nst the rim 3l. The-tensionl of the spring'lr may be'readily adjusted by moving the spring laterally so that it isi-in alignment with the wider portion 39 of the keyhole slot 31; and then, after applying the correct tension of the spring, the spring may be movedfbacklintothe narrower portion of the keyholeslot-tcff anchor the spring.

The k'angular velocity of the wheel 25 is considerably greaterthan the angular velocity of the table .structureasince the diameter of shaft '26 is very much less than that of driving rim 3|. This-angular velocity of the wheel may be, in fact, of the order of several thousand revolutions alminutefinaorderto prov-ide Vthe desiredstorage of :kinetic energy; Y f Y Erratic movements of the entire recorder have little, if any;v eiecti upon the-angular velocity' of the turntable structure I- with respect tov itsL aXis 2. Thisviseiectedfby the: stored kinetic energy in the relatively` lightV but rapidlyl rotated ywheel 25.

The inventor claims:

1. In combination, a'turntable, and a'stabilicei-wheel structure ldriven by the edge or the turntable, comprising a shaft, a wheel carriedl by the shaft, a ball Vupon whichftlie shaft rests, a second ball atthe-o-ther end offtheshaft, amovable arml for supporting said-`second bal-l, and means urging said varmy inY af-d-i'rection `tofcause the structure tovbe `urgedinto '1 driving relation with'v the' turntable;

2. InV combina-tion, a turntable, and a-stabi-A lizer wheelstructuredriven byy the edge ofthe turntable, VcomprisingV a shaft, a' wheel carried by the shaft, a ball upon Which'the shaft rests, a secondL ball at theV other end-of the shaft, a lever having' one arm supporting' said second: ball, as Wellasv another arm, 'andresilient' mea-ris connected to said other arm-for'urging the wheel structure into` driving: relation witl-r the turntable. I

` GEORGE P'. lBft-,UBAKllR.

' REFERENCES Vermeu-l The following references are of record'in the file of this patent:

UNITED ,STATES .PATENTS Germany; Nov. 2',v 1940-` 

